US PGA Championship / Mike Norman / 11 August 2010 /

It's the last major of the season and Mike Norman believes the European Tour players will be looking forward to this event just as much as any. Here he selects four Europeans to follow this week.

It's very rare these days - especially in America - that two consecutive weeks of golf tournaments are played on such different courses. Last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone CC, with its tree-lined fairways and lightening fast greens, was perfectly suited to the PGA Tour style of golf - hence why so many Americans were prominent on the leaderboard with the winner being Hunter Mahan, who was a brilliant selection from our very own Dan Geraghty.

This week's US PGA Championship, to be played on the magnificent looking Straits Course at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, is going to be a completely different test however. And if anything, because it replicates the ancient seaside links courses that you'll find in the UK and Ireland, it should very much suit the cream of the European Tour's big-name players.

Rory McIlroy ([20.0] Winner, [7.0] Top European, [5.6] Top 5 Finish)

Having selected young Rory for the last two weeks I have to admit to being infuriated at his style of play sometimes. I don't know if it's a good thing, perhaps it's just the exuberance of youth, but this guy just doesn't know the meaning of 'middle of the green'; he attacks every pin, no matter what the dangers are, and it can often result in a bogey or worse. But what I like about McIlroy is the fact that nothing phases him; a bogey will often be followed be a few birdies, a double bogey will be followed be an eagle etc.

What I can't deny about McIlory however is that he is a special talent, and if his approach play is dialed in, then he can blow away a field of top class golfers with ease, just like he did at Quail Hollow earlier in the season. He was one shot shy of doing this column a favour last week by finishing as the Top European, but I fancy he'll make amends this week and go very well.

Padraig Harrington ([22.0] W, [8.0] TE, [5.8] T5F)

Re-wind back two weeks and I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be tipping Harrington to win a golf tournament, let alone a Major golf tournament. His game looked so out of sorts until he went to the Irish Open, and then it looked ever more out of sorts! But his recovery skills and short game in Killarney had to be seen to be believed; it was one of the most entertaining performances I've ever witnessed on a golf course.

Harrington would eventually finish second in Ireland before driving the ball much better last week at a course that wouldn't normally suit his game. He finished in the top 10 at Firestone and must be licking his lips at the prospect of getting the ball around Whistling Straits, a course that will suit Pod's style of play to a tee (no pun intended).

Sergio Garcia ([100.0] W, [32.0] TE, [24.0] T5F)

I can only assume I've had a bump to the head that I'm not aware of if I'm selecting Garcia in the same week that I'm selecting Harrington. But if I'm being honest, Garcia's play over the last six weeks has been much better than has it has been for the previous 18 months. He finished 22nd at the US Open, 14th at The Open Championship, and 22nd again last week, and that's not form to be sniffed at in the company of the world's best golfers.

What I like about Garcia most ahead of this tournament however, is that he's taken the pressure off himself to make the Ryder Cup by announcing that he will take a two month break from the game after this week. At his best he is a sublime player who has every shot in the bag required to play a tough links course like this one. I hope he goes out on a high note.

Darren Clarke ([220.0] W, [64.0] TE, [50.0] T5F)

If tournaments were won on how nice a person is then DC would win just about every event in the calendar. But I don't select players on sentiment, I select them on form and ability, and Clarke fits the bill perfectly if you're looking for an outsider to give you a good run for your money this week. He finished second at the Scottish Open before showing up well at The Open Championship. He followed that by finishing 12th at the Irish Open, and like my other selections, links golf is no stranger to him, in fact, he loves it.

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